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Emperor Maxim Tyce
Maxim Tyce (1 VE-27 VE) was the second emperor of Verenia and the oldest son of Emperor Leron Tyce and Empress Leondrea Neinna. Ascending to the throne of Verenian Emperor at the age of 11 after the death of his father Emperor Leron in 12 VE, Maxim's early reign was signified by the tutelage of Leron's trusted adviser, Cyrus Barclay, and the War of Verakian Succession (13 VE - 17 VE). Both of which were caused by the sudden death of Leron Tyce, leaving Maxim to rule as an adolescent for the first six years of his reign. After the victory at the Siege of Verak in 17 VE, Maxim's rule was justified in the political world of Verenia, as was the idea of unified emperor politics and the Tycenian Dynasty. Now sixteen years old, Maxim was deemed fit to rule without regency and was betrothed to a Verakian noblewoman, Dyana Kym, to cement a new era of peace between the emperor and the former rebels. This decision notably angered Maxim's regent, Cyrus Barclay, who had been competing with Maxim's mother, Queen Mother Leondrea, for influence over the young emperor and his court. Barclay desired Maxim to marry his own daughter, thus increasing his power in Verenian politics as father-in-law to the emperor, which he believed would lead to a transition into a broader military coalition to rule the Empire, while Queen Leondrea wanted to increase the power of the Tycenian Dynasty as the central pillar of Verenian politics. Leondrea's ambitions won out with the marriage of Maxim and Dyana in 18 VE, leaving Maxim as the sole ruler of Verenia and Cyrus blocked out of further influence. With the support of his vassals for his reign, Emperor Maxim restarted the Yiergashi campaigns that his father was unable to finish. In 18 VE, Maxim assembled an army and marched from Linares to Yoros, which had pledged their fealty to Verenia during Emperor Leron's reign in return for their control over the Yiergashi Highlands. There, Empress Dyana gave birth to their first and only son, Gerion Tyce. Queen Mother Leondrea, Darian Tyce, and Queena Tyce all attended the Dawn Ceremony with the rest of the Linares Court where Gerion Tyce was proclaimed as the heir apparent to the Verenian Empire, leaving Darian Tyce (Maxim's 15 year-old-brother) as second in line for the throne. A year was spent in Yoros, where the rest of the army was assembled and the campaign planned. Notably, Maxim followed his father's footsteps and planned to lead the campaign, instead of Barclay, another slight to his perceived status. For nine years, the Yiergashi campaign continued, resulting in a grueling war of attrition that forced the Verenian forces to retreat and invade four different times. While Maxim was more than adept at battlefield tactics, even against the guerrilla armies of the Yiergashi tribes, he lacked in the logistical skill needed to oversee an occupation. If one were to take an honest look at his campaigns, it would appear that the successes came from an amalgamation of parts instead of his sole leadership: the diplomatic skills of Queen Mother Leondrea, Maxim's battlefield prowess, Cyrus and the general's logistical expertise, and the power of the Verenian monetary funds along with the resources provided by the Yorosi allies. All culminating in the majority of Yiergashi tribes either joining Verenia, capitulating to the Empire's demands, or being wiped out in the conquest. The exact date of the end of the Yiergashi conquest is uncertain, some scholars say it lasted for decades after its beginning, some even say it never ended. Nevertheless, Verenia's eventual domination of the harsh Yiergashi region came to fruition towards the end of Emperor Maxim's reign, before his untimely death. During the Yiergashi campaign, inner court politicking and the denial of further rewards and opportunities for his service had left Cyrus Barclay more and more alienated from power in the Empire. While campaigning in Yiergash, Barclay wrote extensively about the inherent corruption he saw in Imperial government due to his personal experience of court politics. Barclay assembled a following of other disloyal officers and soldiers and together they planned to bring an end to Maxim's reign and eventually the centralized power of the Verenian Empire. In 27 VE, Cyrus Barclay notified Emperor Maxim of danger posed to Empress Dyana and Prince Gerion, requesting they be moved for their safety. Maxim joined his family during the relocation, and when crossing the Hota Bridge, a large explosive charge was detonated, instantly killing the Emperor, Empress, and their child. An attempt on Darian Tyce's life was also planned, but failed. In the aftermath, Barclay's involvement was quickly exposed, he and his co-conspirators were chased to the Castle Yar, where they were besieged and eventually forced to give themselves up. While their plans to kill Maxim had succeeded, the gruesome act only served to bolster support for Leondrea and the Tycenian Dynasty. Cyrus Barclay was brought to Linares in chains, and in 27 VE he was sentenced to death by Emperor Darian Tyce and beheaded in the Plaza of Stars. Maxim Tyce was 26 years old at his death, Dyana Kym was 25, and Gerion only 8.